Battle of Oblivion's Gate
The Clans Unite After the seppuku of Emperor Toturi I, the forces of the Empire marshalled together under the leadership of Toturi's general Saigorei to oppose the Lying Darkness, which was undoing all of creation by turning the land of the dead into nothing but a memory. The Towers of the Yogo A Small Price, by Ree Soesbee (Soul of the Empire storyback) Volturnum and Oblivion's Gate They had to reach the ancient troll city of Volturnum, where the Oblivion's Gate was located, a magical portal that connected several of the realms. Through this portal the minions of the Shadows were slaughtering the souls of the Empire's ancestors. One man will kill his Master... Naga The Naga armies were led by the reborn Hida Yakamo, now the Qatol, and met the Crab forces near the shadowlands border. The naga Balash saved Hida O-Ushi's life from a Goju Shapeshifter disguised as a Crab and both armies marched together. The New Akasha The Enemy of my Enemy, by Ree Soesbee (Soul of the Empire storyback) Crystal Weapons The new Scorpion Clan Champion Bayushi Yojiro gave the general of the Empire's armies, Saigorei, one hundred thousand katana, nagamaki, naginata, and arrows - all of purest crystal. These weapons decided the fate of the upcoming battle. In return, Yojiro requested that the clans should know that they lived not because of their honor but because of Clan Scorpion, aiding the restoration of Scorpion Clan to Great Clan status. The Towers of the Yogo A Small Price, by Ree Soesbee (Soul of the Empire storyback) Race to Volturnum Akuma halts the advance The race to Volturnum of the Empire armies was halted by Akuma no Oni and his undead and oni horde. The Shadowlands commanded by Kuni Yori had been allied with Goju Adorai to protect the Goju at Volturnum. They were blocking the way to the troll city, and a terrible fight began. The Lion army led by Ikoma Tsanuri held the most important part of the battle. The Race to Volturnum, by Ree Soesbee The Lion stood their ground and held the oni at bay as a small group headed to the south toward Volturnum. Overwhelm (Soul of the Empire flavor) There were ten thousand to hold back the horde, Thunder Dragon (Soul of the Empire flavor) thousand walk alone, ready to battle for Oblivion's Gate and Jigoku's soul Void Dragon (Soul of the Empire flavor) joined by twenty more from each clan, borne on the breath of dragons. Water Dragon (Soul of the Empire flavor) The Dragon Clan fought the shadowspawns with crystal blades. Mirumoto Taki (Soul of the Empire flavor) Many of the Crab died to bring the oni down. Without their leader, the goblins scattered and were lost. Something Worth Dying For (Soul of the Empire flavor) Ritual of the Masters The Elemental Council began a ritual in the Shi-Khan Wastes, with the battle on sight, to hasten the Empire's armies. The ritual would be able to spirit entire legions across miles of land, through Akuma's armies. The enemy forces broke the Crane side of the line when the ritual was begun, threatening the Masters. The attack of oni and mujina covered the true assault of Goju Shadowmancers, who were vanished when the returned spirit of Isawa Tomo completed the ritual. The Masters were magically transported to Volturnum. The Five Cities Five cities stood at the edge of Yomi, Realm of the Blessed Ancestors. Each city was infused with the power of the elements. In these cities, the blessed shiryo and faceless Goju clashed to determine the fate of the Celestial Order. Outnumbered by their shadowy enemies, the ancestors faced a battle they could not win. In the mortal realm, the Elemental Council heard their plea and enacted a ritual like none other in history, a ritual that drew these five cities to the mortal realm where reinforcements could arrive to fight the spawns of Nothing back. The Gift, by Rich Wulf Hidden Emperor, p. 94 The cities were the City of Loyalty - Earth, the City of Living Flames - Fire, the City of Tears - Water, the City of White Clouds - Air, and the City of Empty Dreams - Void. Hidden Emperor, p. 95 The Assault The Nezumi guided the parted legions to the gates of Volturnum, giving their lives at each step. Mat'tck (Soul of the Empire flavor) In 1133 one thousand samurai of combined Rokugani forces assaulted the Lying Darkness in the Shadowlands in the ruins of the Troll city Volturnum. Oblivion's Gate was to be protected against its destruction by the Shadows. A Thousand Lion, by Ree Soesbee The Battle was fierce and the boundaries between the Spirit Realms, already weakened by the manipulatons of the Lying Darkness, began to crumble. The Herald's Tale Spirit Army rallied in Jigoku Another army had begun to gather with the banners of the seven Great Clans. It was an army of the dead, led by Doji Hoturi, Isawa Tadaka, and Toturi. At both sides of the gate, the Goju began to kill; in jigoku, the souls of the raised army; at Volturnum, the samurai that assaulted the city. It was then the Darkness was broken by the appearance of the Tenth Kami, Ryoshun. A light grew above the armies in Jigoku, tearing apart the sky with its sudden blaze. But Goju Adorai used his magic to seal the Gate. At the Gates The Lion charged, but tides of Darkness tore apart Motso's army. Only a shred of the Lion's numbers remained standing when the wave of Shadow ebbed. The Crab charged next, but the Goju caught their general in an immense hand and broke him in two with a single squeeze. A girl screamed and plunged her crystal weapon into the Goju's side, but the katana passed through him, spilling no blood. The Goju raised his arms once more, and red light cascaded from the heavens. From behind the gate, there came screams, and Jigoku burst into black flames. The Dark Path of Shadow Death lies Waiting, by Ree Soesbee (Soul of the Empire storyback) Entering Volturnum The ise zumi led by Hitomi Iyojin charged the city walls. A whisper of wind pushed aside the clouds, and a momentary shaft of moonlight gleamed upon the arch. As the light touched the ancient stone, the Dragon smashed the gate open. Some mystic force, drawn from their hands and from the moonlight, crushed the stone. The Dragon tore at the shadows, falling one by one. As they fell, their bodies flared into brilliant light forcing the Shadow to retreat. It was Hitomi's Last Gift, her clan's last weapon against Goju Adorai and his servants. The Empire's armies, Dragon, Crab, and Lion, flooded into the city, they drove the Goju before them, shattering the Shadow's hold. Iron Mountain, Hitomi's Last Gift (Soul of the Empire, Story back), by Ree Soesbee The Hitomi had sacrificed themselves, their combined tattoo magic making an explosive, suicidal display. Secrets of the Dragon, p. 75 Inner City The gates of the city were broken, but the inner city - that which would have housed its nobility and the strength of its people - remained closed to the imperial armies. The Council of Five kept these inner gates closed, avoiding the shadows from within it to join the battle in the streets. A legion of oni and beasts of the Taint slaughtered the armies outside the city; if the armies within the inner city were released, there would be no hope for the samurai of the Empire. Voices: The Final Days of Oblivion's Gate, by Ree Soesbee Death of Yoritomo Yoritomo was confronted by Adorai who attempted to convince the Mantis Champion to join the Shadow by giving up his name. Yoritomo replied that he had already given his name to his followers. Adorai was outraged and lashed out at Yoritomo, severely wounding the Champion before fleeing. Aramasu, who had been watching nearby, raced over to his adoptive father. Dying, Yoritomo passed leadership on to Aramasu. Aramasu took up his father's kama and ended Yoritomo's suffering, fulfilling the prophecies Hitomi and Adorai had made that Aramasu would kill his father. The Death of Yoritomo, by Ree Soesbee Opening Oblivion's Gate Shortly after the death of Yoritomo at Adorai's hands. Ryoshun, the guardian of the rift, lifted his hands to either side of the arch pulled to either side of the massive stone gateway an army of Returned Spirits flooded through the gateway, passing through the Kami's immortal spirit and rushing toward the allied armies of the Empire. Others stood on the far side of Oblivion's arch, destroying the Shadow that had invaded jigoku. This army was led by Yoritomo and the Shadow began to retreat. The Spirits Ginawa reached Toturi's hand and pulled him through to the Empire as the Oblivion's Gate had begun to be sealed again. The Emperor Returns (Soul of the Empire flavor) Toturi crossed the rift, becoming a returned spirit, Tadaka remained in Jigoku to fight the shadows in there, Return of Thunder (Soul of the Empire flavor) and Hoturi hurried to Kyuden Bayushi to see his lover, Bayushi Kachiko, one last time. No Regrets, by John Wick They found themselves in the inner city of Volturnum, with the gates closed. Those who came out of Oblivion's Gate more than half died fighting Goju Adorai within the city's heart, and the others became tainted the moment they set foot within the city. Opening the Inner Gates The Council of Five saw a glow shining within the inner city, and Agasha Gennai told them that it was an army of spirits. The Council opened the gate of inner Volturnum. The Spirits from Yomi and Toshigoku began to emerge from it in great numbers, and more than one of the great heroes of told legends was among them. The Emperor Toturi I himself was there, free from the Shadow's grip. Volturnum inner city was filled with Fu Leng's diseased power, and the Taint was as strong as the Shadow. The spirit army escaped the inner city to fight this day only because of Hochiu's bravery, and that of the Elemental Masters. The Masters once again closed the gates to ensure that the Goju within could not escape into the outer city. The armies charged past the city gate, launching themselves from the hopeless battle in the city down toward the great plain where Shadow and Shadowlands alike fought to destroy the armies of the Empire. Sacrifice of the Dragon of Air Hochiu was protecting the rest of the Elemental Masters, but he did not see Goju Adorai or the Oblivion's Gate from where he was. The Shadows feared his fire and the light it brought. Goju Adorai had completed his ritual and turned the Oblivion's Gate black and dead, and soon, all of Jigoku would be the same. The other masters could not enter the tainted inner city, being tasked in other things, but Hochiu knew he must. The Dragon of Air appeared at his side, and assured him that he was capable for the job, and to allow Hochiu to reach city's heart, with Shiba Seiko as yojimbo. The Dragon of Air transported them through the corrupted inner city, allowing itself to become corrupted so that the Master of Fire Hochiu and his yojimbo could reach the Master of Darkness, Goju Adorai. When the dragon stopped in the Oblivion's Gate it was no longer of air, but of ash and shadow, and fled. Seiko's Death Hochiu knew that he would be killed if Adorai ever saw him, before Adorai was in range of Hochiu's crystal blade. Seiko prepared a way to show the Phoenix to Adorai where Hochiu were not. Adorai sent his Ninja Shadow-Walkers against the Master of Fire, who used his crystal yari to destroy them. Jigoku continued to seethe and burn, its plains destroyed by the black magic of the Goju. The spirit army could be seen through the gate, led by Yoritomo and the Thunders, gathering for one final assault against the ninja of the Shadow. Adorai mortally wounded the one who had tried to kill him, and reveled in his victory. Adorai's Death The real Hochiu appeared and cut Adorai's neck with the crystal katana. With the aid of Shiba Seiko, a Shosuro Actress born from Phoenix and Scorpion family lines, Hochiu had stroke down the avatar of the Nothing, weakening the Lying Darkness. The Naming of Nothing Takao was enlightened by Hitomi as to how to defeat the Lying Darkness. The Shadows had to be named to give it form, and when it was defined it could be destroyed. Temples of the Crow Seven Dragons, by Ree Soesbee (Soul of the Empire storyback) At this moment, while the Lying Darkness was weak enough to be named, Hitomi named it "Akodo," which destroyed the Lying Darkness and released a number of Akodo Ronin (now with amnesia). They joined the fight beside the Empire, driving back the Shadowlands beasts. Hidden Emperor, p. 84 These Akodo had a piece of the Nothing in their soul, that could be awakened later. The Ruins of Otosan Uchi, Part 1, by Shawn Carman Ginawa became the Akodo Daimyo to keep them safe from this threat. Hidden Emperor, p. 82 Birth of the Shadow Dragon The Dragon of Air was dying, severed from the Heavens by its direct intervention in human troubles, and badly injured by its passage through Volturnum. It saw a small scrap of Nothing escaping, which in time would lead in the return of the Lying Darknes entity. The Dragon swallowed it and became the heir to the Lying Darkness, the Shadow Dragon, wielding the power of the Taint and Nothing. So long as it could survive, the Lying Darkness could never truly return. Aftermath The now weakened Goju and Ninube minions of the Darkness fled to plan their vengeance. Shadow Dragon (Broken Blades flavor) Many among those who fought at Volturnum returned tainted, among them Asahina Tamako. Test of the Jade Champion, Part I, by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman The Shadowlands hordes had suffered great losses, and huge sections of the Shadowlands were virtually depopulated. Oriental Adventures, pp. 233-234 Casualties * Abresax * Agasha Fukishi * Agasha Tsutomu * Asahina Tsukiyoka * Asako Saburo * Bayushi Aramoro * Daidoji Kedamono * Daidoji Kyobu * Daidoji Yoshimaru * Dairya * Dashmar * Dangai * Doji Kuwanan * Eshru * Fuzake Garou * Goju Adorai * Heichi Chokei * Hida Amoro as undead * Hida Tampako * Hida Tsuru * Hitomi Iyojin * Horiuchi Junichiro * Ikoma Ken'o * Ikoma Tsanuri * Kakita Toshimoko * Matsu Daoquan * Matsu Morishigi * Mirumoto Mitoru * Moto Chang * Okura no Oni * Orschat * Radakast * Shiba Seiko * Shosuro Taushui * Tonbo Toryu - became the Oracle of Thunder * Toritaka Genzo * Yoritomo * Yoritomo Furikae * Z'orr'tek In addition, numerous samurai became Tainted; some joined the ranks of the Lost * Agasha Tamori - tainted, relinquished his post as daimyo * Akodo Emon * Asahina Tamako - tainted and recluded in a Crane Tower * Dragon of Air - became the Shadow Dragon * Hanoshi * Hitomi Kobai - returned to the Dragon Clan * Ikoma Hiromori - tainted, decided to emulate Goju Kyoden becoming Goju Kyojiro. * Iuchi Katta - joined the Lost * Katsu - became tainted shortly after he was born near Volturnum * Komaro * Matsu Turi - became the Dark Oracle of Water * Mirumoto Taki - would become sensei of the Temple of the Forsaken * Miya Risa * Moshi Wakiza - returned to the Mantis Isles; died giving birth to Yoritomo Kumiko * Muketsu - wounded in the battle was finally lost during the Rain of Blood thirty two years later * Otaku Daiken * Shiba Katsuda - endured the taint until his death * Soshi Jomyako - became the Dark Oracle of Air * Yasuki Nokatsu - became the Dark Oracle of Earth twenty five years later * Yoritomo Yukue - joined the Unbroken and was cleansed An others were lost as minions of the Shadows * Alhundro Cornejo * Shiba Shingo - became Goju Shingo *''Legend of the Five Rings: Third Edition'', p. 24. * [http://www.l5r.com/archive/rpg/products/l5r_he_whoswho.pdf Legend of the Five Rings: Hidden Emperor Who's Who PDF, p. 18] Oblivion's Gate